The Tory policy to politicise Kent Police and elect an inexperienced police commissioner for Kent could cost taxpayers up to £2 million – this is equivalent of about 50 frontline police officers which could cut crime in Medway.
£2m which will come out of your Council Tax bill in the form of a rebate every year.
That is bobbies not on the beat in favour of a Conservative Party frontman running the police force of Kent. The wholesale politicisation of the police which will see an elected stooge who could gerrymander resources away from Medway and into safer Conservative seats in central Kent.
Police priorities should be set by local communities and professional officers and not hyper-partisan sheriffs. The Tories should trust the professionals to get on with their jobs and not introduce another layer of political control.
Nationally the Local Government Association has predicted a total cost for all police forces of about £54m or 700 jobs.
The news comes just two weeks after Kent Police warned it may have to lose 1,500 jobs as a result of Government spending cuts.
Kent Police Authority chairwoman Ann Barnes said:
"I do not think that now is the time to be putting money we haven’t got into an uncosted proposal that lacks clarity and detail.
"At best this is a rebranding exercise, as the commissioner is expected to have exactly the same role and powers as our existing police authority.
"When we are scratching around for every penny to protect front-line policing and jobs, to spend money on these proposals is not justifiable."
Ann Barnes is absolutely correct. Not one person on the doorstep in River Ward wanted an elected stooge running the police. The Tory pet project is a massive waste of tax-payers money for little benefit.
It should be scrapped.
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